1. Field
The present invention is concerned with piperonyl ethers that have juvenile hormone mimetic activity. More particularly, it is concerned with straight chain .omega.-monounsaturated alkenyl, .omega.-haloalkyl, .omega.-hydroxyalkyl, .omega.-epoxyalkyl, .omega.-alkoxyalkyl, .omega.-alkylthioalkyl, .omega.-acylalkyl and .omega.-carbamoylalkyl piperonyl ethers.
2. Prior Art
Juvenile hormone is a methyl ester of a multiply unsaturated branched chain acid. This branched chain group is made up of isoprene units characteristic of many natural products. The resulting complex structure is difficult to synthesize and is, therefore, not readily available for insect control.
Compounds which function as juvenile hormone insecticides act in a different manner on insects than presently used insecticides. Compounds having juvenile hormone mimetic activity exert a disrupting influence upon the normal development of the insects. These compounds interrupt the normal metamorphosis of the pest insects and result in the formation of members of the treated species which develop abnormally and are nonviable or sterile. This ultimately leads, indirectly at least, to the destruction of the insect population.